During the Second Emirati Media Forum, Dubai Press Club, organisers of the forum, in cooperation with Higher Colleges of Technology hosted a Media Centre to nurture local talents and promote professionalism in media and journalism fields that will help the young UAE national students to develop a career in journalism, corporate communications and to become media entrepreneurs.

Dubai, the first city to create a media and technology free zone in the Arab World, has helped hundreds of publications to flourish. Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, International Media Production Zone, Dubai Studio City and Knowledge Village – that collectively create the biggest knowledge cluster in the Middle East, offers a great opportunity for the budding Emirati media entrepreneurs and professionals to take advantage of and help reshape positive global opinion about the region.

The Media Centre is aimed at offering a great platform for the Emirati media students and help nurture their talents and offer them the best tools and opportunities to flourish.

As the biggest media hub in the Arab World, we would like the emirate strengthen its leadership role in the Middle East. The only way we could provide a continuous long-term and sustainable leadership role to the Arab Media is by developing our own talents and helping them take the leadership role. This initiative is in line with the vision outlined by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to promote media and journalism as a profession to truly reflect the economic development and social progress achieved by the UAE and the Arab World and portray the right image of the region. The Media Centre offers insights to media students and the practical challenges faced by professionals in the real world.

“In our curriculum, we are taught the practical aspect of the media business and the challenges. However, the Media Centre creates the right platform for us to showcase our knowledge and expertise and get positive and constructive feedback that would help us get a better picture on the real world,” Meera Khalid Al Muhairi, a student and a team leader of the Desert Dawn project. “I led a team of my batchmates to create this publication, under the guidance of our faculty members who guide us on the practical aspects. The Media Centre, provides the ideal network infrastructure for us to develop a better understanding,” she added.

Higher Colleges of Technology has adopted a practical learning mode that is helping the students understand the theories better while dealing with the practical aspects, says Rajaa Abu-Jabr, Faculty Member, Applied Communications at the Higher Colleges of Technology.

“The Media Centre is a platform created by Higher Colleges of Technology and Dubai Press Club and it is part of our endeavour to offer the best educational and networking opportunities for our students who could plan their career better while learning,” she said. “In our curricula, we offer a full, 360 degree learning experience to the students who are also taught how to develop a business around a media concept and gain funding to support its operations. So, they can actually become entrepreneurs – with the right kind of support infrastructure. The Media Centre is part of that initiative,” she added.

She said, “Her organization would like to see the Media Centre become a larger platform for media professionals and students who could meet regularly and exchange ideas for mutual benefit.” Meera said, “She is not fully confident to start her media business – once she is out of the college.”

Amar Al Khouri, another media student at the Higher Colleges of Technology, said, “The Media Centre has helped him to gain more knowledge and experience. “It is a good platform and we feel more confident to develop a career in media business.”

The Media Centre is one of many creative initiatives launched by Dubai Press Club to promote media business among UAE nationals.